Part Three

Chapter Fourteen

Why it rains clear water from a black sky

Giant Bilberry heard Danial shouting half a mile away and sprinted to meet them with Mrs Bilberry scurrying after him, drying her hands on her spotted apron as she ran.

‘We’s real glad to see you all here safe ‘n sound. An aint you done real good bringin this lovely lil lady back to us?’ he boomed with a thrilled beam across his face. ‘We bin lookin out for ages an now here you is’

He took Danial ’s hand shaking it vigourously. Suddenly he caught sight of Silhouette on the stretcher.

‘You’ve found my boy!’ he roared with relief. ‘We’d given him up when he didn’t come back, hadn’t we, Luella? That dere forest is a danged awkward place t’go looking for a missin dog but hey. You got him safe ‘eh?’

Danial assumed Luella must be Mrs Bilberry’s first name.

‘Safe but not so sound I’m afraid’ joined in Phemie, and went on to tell the Bilberry’s what had happened. Luella hastily spread out a nice thick blanket in front of the fire for Silhouette to lie on. He could rest and recover from his ordeal, especially with help from the huge bowl of diced chicken put in front of him. Phemie knelt down and stroked his head while he ate.

‘Well now’ said Giant Bilberry ‘yo two got eatin to do as well. Come on an sit you self down. Help yourselves. Dere’s pies, chips, meat, burgers, pickles, sausages, loadsa salad stuff - Luella likes to nosh that - but I’d rather have somethin more fillin, yeah?’ he laughed. ‘Eat as much as yo can. There’s a busy time ahead.

Neither Danial nor Phemie realised how hungry they were and the Bilberry’s looked on in pleasure as they attacked the mountain of food piled on the table.

‘Mmm’ said Phemie through her last mouthful. ‘Thank you very much. That was lovely.’

Luella beamed in satisfaction. ‘That’s fine my dear. Sure you couldn’t manage a bit more? What about you your royal highness?’

Phemie started. She’d not heard Danial referred to as your royal highness before and it reminded her of who he really was.

‘No thank you’ he replied. ‘I’m really full thanks. It’s good of you to take all this trouble’

‘No trouble at all. It’s a pleasure’ said Luella with a little curtsey.

Danial smiled ‘I don’t want to break up the party, but we have to get back to Lower Chantment. Where has Miss Azel left the Warpsweeper?’

The Bilberry’s looked aprehensive. ‘Well, yes she did sorta leave it’ said Giant Bilberry.

‘What do you mean, sorta?’

‘Well, she went away on it and it sorta came back without her’ said Luella. ‘We wondered if she was all right, know what I mean?’

‘Ah ha!’ cried Danial ‘That’s how she‘s done it eh?’

‘Done what?’ asked Phemie.

‘Sent the Warpsweeper back by itself. She wouldn’t tell me how she aimed to return to Lower Chantment, but now I understand. She flew it there and sent it back using its auto return device. Where is it now?’ he queried.

Bilberry shuffled about a bit.

‘Well, y’see, that’s the trouble. When it came back it were all shiny like, but then it turned into an ole fashioned wooden handled sweeper soon as I touched it, see’ said Giant Bilberry. ‘So I dunno how you’re gonna get back home. It weren’t my fault it broke, honest’

Danial laughingly slapped Bilberry’s back. ‘Don’t worry. You haven’t broken anything my friend. It’s put itself into stand-by and hibernate mode. Just take me to it. Everything’s OK, you’ll see’

***

Bilberry had put the broom in a shed out the back. It looked old and nothing like the device Phemie expected to see after having it described by Danial. It seemed there was no way it could possibly fly anywhere, let alone across the time and distance zones to Lower Chantment.

She watched as Danial took hold of the handle and picked it up. Nothing happened. A spasm of panic and look of uncertainty flashed across her face.

‘Don’t worry’ he breezed, shaking the broom ‘It’ll come to life in a minute’

They all stared at it. A minute passed; and another minute; still no life from the broom.

‘Did Azel leave any instructions at all?’ asked Danial trying to sound unconcerned.

‘No’ replied Bilberry bluntly.

‘There must be something to do’ said Phemie on tenterhooks fearing she might be marooned in Fargon, never to see Lower Chantment again.

‘Mmm’ said Danial. ‘What was it Azel did? Ah; now I remember’

He stood back from the broom gracefully holding out his hand as if inviting a girl to dance.

With a soft rushing sound the broom glowed brightly, growing and morphing into full mission mode. The Warpsweeper hovered imperiously, gleaming in the light of the shed just as Danial had first seen it at the palace.

‘About time too’ it said crossly in its metallic voice, grumpy as ever. ‘My sensors have been observing you but chose not to convert until correctly invited’

It paused, as if anticipating an apology for being shaken.

‘I am programmed to transport two passengers. Time vault is set to present time and max speed is requested. Relevant passengers will oblige by embarking immediately.

‘Programmed?’ exclaimed Danial. ‘But I was supposed to fly you!’

‘Were you’ said the Warpsweeper sniffily ‘Sorry about that I’m sure, but I’ve been programmed and that’s that. Sorry.’

The sarcastic voice didn’t sound sorry at all, and knowing the technical complexity of Warpsweepers Danial did not want to start fiddling. As if reading his mind the Warpsweeper went on.

‘Any interference with programming will result in lock out stand-by and hibernate mode. Get on board immediately.’

Phemie took Danial ’s hand. ‘We’d better do as we’re told. You first.’

‘Quite right, young lady’ said the Warpsweeper smugly ‘Do as you’re told’

‘Goodbye, Bilberry. Goodbye Luella. Thanks for everything’ said Danial.

A yelp, little more than a squeak prompted Phemie to turn and see Silhouette standing in the open doorway. He had struggled to his feet to say goodbye and she rushed over, knelt down and caressed his head.

‘Good boy, Silhouette. Good boy’ she said. ‘You get well soon and look after Bilberry and Luella. We’ll be back to see you one day’

Silhouette licked her hand for the last time before she joined Danial on the Warpsweeper.

‘Are you holding on tight?’ said the broom.

‘Yes’ said Danial.

‘And have you fastened your seat belts?’

‘Yes, yes’ said Danial impatiently.

‘You’ve not left a passenger behind?’

‘No, I’ve not left a passenger behind’

‘And it’s to Lower Chantment....’

‘Just go’ said Phemie.

‘Um, oh all right then’ said the Warpsweeper wanting to have the last word.

The Bilberry’s stepped back as the broom crashed into launch mode. In nano seconds they were gone, becoming a barely visible glint of silver streaking across the night sky.

***

Convinced the Evil Supreme Witch would dispatch Venefica to Lower Chantment with instructions to inflict vengeance upon Danial and re-capture Phemie, Azel prepared herself for serious confrontation. QW had put Danial ’s safety in her care and she must protect him. He had no chance of winning if he tried to fight the full force of Venefica’s evil magic on his own. And being the first to return to the village gave Azel the opportunity to plan for a surprise, pre-emptive attack.

Concealed within the magic cloak’s shadow, her face hidden in the blackness of its hood, Azel settled herself by the stone wall surrounding Venefica’s empty cottage and waited. She didn’t have to wait long. The QWERT insignia embroidered on the cloak began to vibrate, warning of an approaching evil influence and softly rousing her from a state of semi-trance.

In the distant sky a dark shape materialised in the grizzly drizzle now covering Lower Chantment. It pushed aside the low clouds and with clumsy undulations, scraped over bare branches of a few trees and landed.

Venefica had arrived.

Azel observed quietly as she dismounted her broom, bent and old in a ragged grease-stained cloak and looking decidedly done-in after her journey from Fargon. Taking the sack of belongings from her shoulder she dumped it on the ground with a weary sigh. She made a pathetic sight and Azel almost felt sorry for her. Venefica had not always been evil and there was still time for her to change her ways. She decided to offer her the chance.

Icily, and with demanding authority Azel spoke from the shadows. ‘Venefica! I stand between you and termination of your powers. I give you prospect to redeem yourself. Renounce the evil that is Anniolate and you will be given fair trial for your wrong-doings. What say you?’

Startled, Venefica sprang back, eyes wide open and hissing like a cornered Black Panther. ‘Who is this? Who speaks to me?’

Azel stepped forward into the light. ‘It is I’

‘Goodwill! Is it you? You are here? Presuming to offer me fair trial? Have you really any idea to whom you’re talking?’ she sneered.

The voice sounded familiar. Azel couldn’t place it. It didn’t sound right and it was certainly not Venefica’s. She hesitated, losing her advantage of a surprise attack. The pathetic, bent figure suddenly sounded dangerous. It crouched to the ground throwing out an arm, its hand with claw shaped fingers pointing directly at Azel. Before she could take evasive action the hand detached itself from the arm and flew murderously towards her, its fingers flailing at her neck, chisel like nails tearing the collar of her cloak into shreds of deep sapphire blue material. Azel staggered, clutching at the amputated hand as it writhed in a frenzy trying to seize her throat.

‘Ah ha, I have you Goodwill’ screamed Venefica ‘what now of the Grand Sorcerer and her fancy friends, eh. What now?’ she mocked.

Finally Azel recognised the voice. Anniolate. It was that of Anniolate. Venefica had become possessed by the Evil Supreme Witch and had effectively become one body occupied by two minds. Coolly, Azel grasped the hand, wrenching it from her neck and pitching it back to the stump of Venefica’s arm. It attached itself magically, without a mark. That was impressive even for me reflected Azel. But she should not have hesitated. In a blur of speed Venefica had picked up her broom and hurled it like a javelin. It missed its main target but managed to pin Azel’s sleeve to the tree. Wrenching her arm free and with a shout like a Karate black belt, Azel smashed the edge of her hand hard upon the brooms hollow handle, snapping it in two with a bone breaking crack. Glutinous green phlegm oozed from both pieces. Maggots, cockroaches, and flies squirmed in the mess as it leached across the ground. This broom would fly no more.

Venefica shrieked in exasperated anger. Her quick reactions and speed had caught Azel off guard, but the vicious attacks had failed and she trembled with fury. It was now the turn of a grand sorcerer empowered by the Queen Witches Executive for Removal of Trouble to go on the offensive. Venefica knew the devastating consequences only too well.

Unhurriedly Azel rose into the air, arms out-stretched, wand glowing red and charged with the power of QWERT. It pointed at Venefica’s heart.

She spoke slowly, deliberately and with authority.

‘You had your chance Venefica- or shall I say Anniolate? Now is time for your powers to be treminated. It is forbidden under the doctrine of QWERT to exterminate low lives such as you, though I am tempted. I shall therefore ensure your remaining presence in the world will be seen as harmless. Yes, that is what you shall become - harmless but present for all to see. Farewell’

The wand jerked spasm like. A jet of incandescent, vaporised substance shot to Venefica’s body. She stood frozen, unmoving except wide eyes darting side to side in fear of her impending doom. The vapour enveloped her, wrapping around, inside her, erupting from ears, nose, and mouth. It became impossible to distinguish any kind of human-like form as Venefica morphed relentlessly and agonisingly into a shapeless, floating white puffiness of mist. She was turning into a cloud.

Azel watched with satisfaction as the cloud gently drifted skywards. It seemed alive, changing shape as Venefica frantically tried to punch free like someone trapped in a white pillowslip. The distorted screeching of Venefica coupled with Anniolate’s infuriated screaming sounded bizarre, like an out of synch stereo playing heavy metal.

‘You’ve not heard the last of me Goodwill!’ screamed Anniolate’s voice. ‘You presume to triumph over the greatness of my evil power? You shall regret this day Goodwill. You shall regret it forever’

‘Maybe, maybe not’ replied Azel calmly, ‘but from this time forward you’ll forever float as a cloud, innocent and incapable of evil. The wind will change your form many times over, but people looking to the sky may sometimes recognise your figure or your face’

‘That’s what you think’ said Anniolate, her voice startlingly clear and overwhelming the wretched whinging of Venefica. ‘All very poetic I’m sure, but now Goodwill, now is the day of your reckoning with me’

Growing relentlessly the cloud began to spread threateningly across the sky. From the depths of its billowing shapes Anniolate’s ravings reverberated around the village.

‘So, you attempt to meddle with me, eh Goodwill?’ she continued ‘Then watch. Learn from your superior. First, know that Venefica is expendable, but I on the other hand am not. I have decided to decline your stupid little cloud spell. I’m dumping her. She can amuse herself by meting out my simple strategy for ruination of this pathetic village. Do you understand Goodwill? Ruination. This is of your doing. The good people of Lower Chantment’ she sneered, ‘will not thank you for provoking my retribution’

Venefica didn’t have a clue the Evil Supreme Witch considered her expendable and wailed in desperation. ‘Oh no Mistress, no, no, no you can’t dump me just like that. Please don’t leave me here on my own. What will become of me?’

‘Become of you? I don’t care. You were warned not to fail me again and what’s been your response, eh? Failure, that’s what. Abject, contemptible failure. I have no further use for you’

Anniolate’s brusque abandonment of Venefica was cruel and harsh, but she had not yet finished her cursing. ‘Nobody would call drifting about as a fluffy puff of cloud punishment’ and anyway, it’s far too good for the likes of you. Let’s change the kind of cloud Goodwill had in mind shall we?’ she said ominously. ‘Before exiting your being I will make a significant modification to Goodwill’s spell’

She laughed horribly, the cloud seething with an evil energy, and bubbling like a volcano about to erupt. In seconds it had turned alarmingly black, spreading a mantle of darkness over the village. A stab of lightning, a clap of thunder. Then it began to rain. Black ink!

‘Let’s see what you make of that Goodwill’ screamed a demented Anniolate. A dark shape shot out of the storm at high speed, trailing a spiral of smouldering embers. Anniolate had gone.

***

The mess from the black ink was unbelievable. Washing left out to dry quickly became unrecognisable rags, cottages painted white were filthy in minutes and rivulets of pollution streamed down the lanes. Anyone holding out a hand to check if it was still raining realised too late the inevitability of inky marks on everything they touched. Even sheep in the fields looked black. Nothing was left untouched.

Anniolate’s threat of village ruination had become desperately close to realisation. Venefica was now a useless pawn, devoid of power and only Azel knew how to break Anniolate’s curse of raining black ink. To cast a successful reversion spell she needed the Warpsweeper to get above the cloud. And that was something she did not have right now.

***

Cruising towards Lower Chantment with the Warpsweeper in auto return mode Danial and Phemie watched the massive cloud grow, enveloping the horizon in a kind of menacing black envelope.

‘Dan’ said Phemie ‘Looks a bit black over my mothers. Is something wrong?’

‘Nah, everything’s fine, you’ll see’ said Danial ‘It’s just a storm blowing up and.....’

The flat tone of the Warpsweeper’s voice interrupted. ‘My sensors detect trouble ahead. Do you wish to divert to an alternative destination or proceed as schedule?’

‘Trouble? What kind of trouble?’

‘Unrecognised weather conditions. Azel Goodwill rendered temporarily incapacitated. Lower Chantment overrun by unidentified liquidity’

‘Unrecognised weather conditions? Temporarily incapacitated? Unidentified liquidity? What on earth do you mean?’ repeated Danial, trying hard to take in what the Warpsweeper said.

‘Oh Dan, I knew it, I just knew Mum was in trouble the moment we saw that cloud. We must get there quickly’ Phemie stared anxiously at the horizon.

‘Instructions, please’ demanded the Warpsweeper. ‘Divert or proceed?’

Danial had no hesitation. ‘Proceed. Max speed. Emergency override of auto return mode. Destination details amended to Nancy Snow’s shop. Action with immediate effect’

The Warpsweeper jerked and accelerated instantly to max speed. Azel had set it on auto return but Dan was more than capable of flying it.

‘Must get word to Azel’ he shouted over the roar of slipstream. The broom’s cocoon function had been switched off for the gentle cruise home and both Danial and Phemie crouched low in their seats. ‘We’ll meet her at your Mum’s’ he continued. ‘I’ll use the paperless pencil, but at this speed the message will get blown away. We’ll have to stop’

‘No you won’t’ cut in the metallic voice of the Warpsweeper. ‘This is no time to for you to phaff about with fancy smoke pencils and Goodwill’s normal communication functions are unimpaired. I will psychologically transmit the message to the wand receiver and ensure co-ordination of simultaneous manifestation of all persons at the agreed rendezvous’

Danial felt sure the Warpsweeper must have had its emergency language function programmed by Sir Clive Butterupp judging by the pretentious words it used, but it obviously knew what was required.

‘Right, okay. Leave it to you’ he said into the microphone.

***

Activated by the Warpsweeper’s signal Azel’s wand glowed green (it only glowed blue if the palace called). The noise of pouring rain smattering on the remaining leaves of the tree under which Azel sheltered made it hard for her to hear the stark message rattled out by the metallic voice.

‘Nancy Snow’s shop identified as rendezvous. Estimated time of arrival four point four five minutes and counting’

Time was running out fast for the village, but in less than five minutes Azel would not only have her Warpsweeper back but ingredients from the shop could be purchased to make a reversion spell and bring an end to the storm. Hurriedly she pulled up the hood of her cloak and stepped out in the downpour of black rain, transporting herself swiftly towards Nancy Snow’s.

She arrived just as Phemie and Danial swooped in, stopping with a side-ways skid on the filthy mud forming on the road.

‘Phemie!’ called Nancy ‘you’re safe my darling. Come on in out of this horrible rain. I don’t know what’s happened but now you’re back I don’t care.

‘Oh Mum its so, so good to see you’ cried Phemie, tearfully throwing her arms around Nancy. ‘I’m so glad to be home and its all thanks to Dan here. He’s been wonderful, haven’t you Dan?’’

Danial shuffled his feet. ‘Aw, it’s nothing really. Phemie’s been great too’

Phemie let go her Mum and gave him a hug and a kiss. ‘I wouldn’t be here without you’ she whispered.

‘Come along now’ said Azel briskly ‘we’ve got urgent work to do. Nancy, I need some of that whiter than white washing powder. You know, dazzling bright white stuff. Have you any in stock?’

‘Er, yes Miss Azel’

‘Right, I’ll take the biggest box you have, and that empty toffee tin please. Danial, hold it level while I mix in some crystal crumblings’

She delved into her cloak pocket, pulling out a handful of tiny microscopic crystals which lit up the shop with a sparkly brightness. Into the toffee tin they went together with all the washing powder. Stirring it vigourously with her wand, head bent over the tin in a kind of trance, Azel whispered words in some incomprehensible language.

Unexpectedly she asked. ‘Nancy, have you any wall-paper paste?’

‘Wall-paper paste?’ Nancy, Phemie and Danial chorused together, spellbound by Azel’s preparations.

‘Er, yes I think we have some in the stockroom somewhere’ said Nancy recovering quickly.

She rushed out of the door and returned instantly. ‘Here we are’ she said passing a crumpled sachet to Azel.

‘What?’ said Azel, suddenly aware everyone was staring with incomprehension.

‘My spell to change the storm cloud requires wallpaper paste to stop it disintegrating. Okay?’

‘Okay’ they all said together.

‘Anyway, continued Azel, I’m ready now. Stay indoors and keep dry - I’ll be back in less than ten minutes.’

With a flourish of her cloak, she disappeared through the door of the shop to find the Warpsweeper hovering dry and clean outside. Its advanced construction made it impervious to the rain attempting to penetrate its sophisticated electronics.

‘Combat mode?’ asked the metallic voice.

‘Naturally’ said Azel with grim determination. Confronting Anniolate’s evil power called for all the resources built in to the Warpsweeper. ‘Try getting over the eye of the storm’ she said. ‘That will be our prime point of attack’

‘Wilkco’ said the Warpsweeper.

‘Wilkco?’ exclaimed Azel ‘What are you on about?’

‘You’d better look it up afterwards’

***

In moments Azel was above the storm cloud, peering into its inner depths to find evidence of Venefica. There was none. Her cloud spell was still working. It was Anniolate’s change to it that needed reversing.

She decided to keep her powder dry and try a simple solution first. Her wand flashed in a blur, whirling frenetically at the eye of the storm as she uttered the ancient incantation. ‘Stormus-desperatum-turn-cumulonimbus-let-sunshine-rule-after-exit-from-here. So may it be done’

A flash of brilliant light emanated from the wand’s tip, blasting through the saturated blackness and bouncing off the cottages below. The storm cloud groaned like a galleon under full sail, shifting its shape but remaining lethargically hung in the sky. That was it. Nothing else happened. The incantation had failed.

Venefica’s voice whinged with disembodied scorn. ‘So the great Azel Goodwill has failed to defeat my mistress’s power? Are you surprised? She will return and together we shall eliminate you from our future. You are in her black book of death and shall suffer in place of me at the hand of Anniolate. Is she not the Evil Supreme Witch and all powerful to defeat your puny efforts?’

Ignoring her jibes, Azel opened the toffee tin of crystal and powder mix, and set the Warpsweeper on ‘high altitude combat hover.’

‘What are you expecting to do with the contents of that?’ the Warpsweeper asked. ‘If you’re thinking about scattering them by hand whilst I hover, my chemical elements dispersal mode may be more effective’

Reluctantly, Azel admitted she’d overlooked that feature and now seemed a good time to put it to the test. ‘Confirmed’ she said confidently.

‘Place the mix into my right hand distribution cartridge’ the Warpsweeper continued ‘and prepare for dispersal activity’

Carefully Azel emptied the crystal crumblings, washing powder and paste into the cartridge and closed its lid with a snap. And held on.

It was like riding on a demented dodgem car racing at the speed of an Olympic downhill skier. The Warpsweeper speared the storm at lethal velocity. Ducking and diving, it tore in to the ghastly images of Venefica, her eyes bulging, face stretched and distorted, a gaping mouth screaming silently in an attempt to prevent the clouds liquidation. Systematically the magic blend was dispersed in intricate grid patterns calculated for optimum effectiveness. Finally the Warpsweeper emerged from beneath the cloud, swooping over the village and landing at the shop with Azel feeling shaken, rather than stirred.

Hastily she looked skywards. The cloud heaved and rolling as if in desperate agony - but it was not dead. To finish it off and complete the reversion spell Azel would have to repeat the ancient incantation. The lashing rain almost drowned her voice as she shouted it. ‘Stormus-desperatum-turn-cumulonimbus-let-sunshine-rule-after-exit-from-here. So may it be done.’

She had anticipated the massive thunderbolt which crashed instantaneously out of the cloud but the shock of its sudden violence made everyone else duck in frightened reaction.

She closed her eyes, clenched fists and waited, praying her spell had worked. When the cheering and applause began she knew it had, and opened her eyes with a relieved smile. A little crowd of villagers had gathered outside the shop revelling in what was now clean, clear rain soaking them to the skin. It was wonderful to see the black grunge washed away in a deluge of freshness.

Venefica’s scornful voice sneered unexpectedly from somewhere inside the cloud. ‘Goodwill, you have failed again! Can you not see I am still here? Your puny attempts to thwart the majestic power of my supreme mistress have come to nothing.’

The storm cloud remained hanging blackly overhead. It appeared the reversion spell had been unsuccessful.

‘You delude yourself’ barked Azel angrily. ‘Your mistress has robbed you of the comfort of the soft whiteness I had conceived, and now you must exist forever in the chaos of storm. Cold winds and wetness will be your companions wherever you go. Your empowerment to rain black ink is invalidated forever. People will sometimes look and wonder why it rains clear water from a black sky. That will be the mystery I shall call ‘The secret of the storm cloud.’ Now be gone. Disperse upon the wind. Stop raining forthwith. Go. So may it be done’

Once again, the wand flashed in a blur, whirling frenetically and ending with a slash-like flourish. Venefica’s anguished cries died away, it stopped raining. Magically the storm evaporated into the greyness of the December afternoon.